Air raid black-out box



Dec. 12, 1944. E. VAN DAMME AIR RAID BLAGKVOUT BOX Filed Feb. 11, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Zu eze Van Damme ATTOR.NEY

Dec. 12, 1944. A DAM'ME 2,364,831

AIR RAID BLACKOUT BOX Filed Fb. 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

INVENTOR fu ene I/a/z fidnmze ATTORNE Y Y Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED-STATES PATENT FFlC-E AIR RAID BLACK-OUT BOX Eugene Van Damme, RichmondHill, N. Y., by judicial change of name Eugene Vannee' ApplicationFebruary 11, 1942, Serial No. 430,344

7 Claims. (01. 200-168) extinguish all lights when leaving the premisesto meet the requirements of blackouts and air raids, thus leaving thepremises in total darkness and making it easy, ,for unauthorized personsto break into the premises.

The invention proposes the construction of a novel black-out box adaptedto be mounted on an outside wall of a store or other business place, andwhich is connected in an electrical circuit including store windowlights, neon signs, internal lights, and any other lights which may beleft burning when leaving the premises.

A further object of the invention proposes to provide the box with afragile stifi sheet which may be easily broken and which controls anelec trical switch or switches arranged in a manner to open a circuitwhich includes the window lights, neon signs andother internal lights,to cause these lights to be quickly put out when the fragile sheet isbroken, or depending on the design to close circuits for giving an alarmor for other purposes.

Still further the invention proposes to mount these boxes within-easyreach of air wardens, or policemen patrolling a given area to permitthese persons or other persons to quickly extinguish all lights. or givean alarm in their particular vicinity by merely visiting the boxes andbreaking the fragile sheets. i

A further object of the invention proposes the construction of a circuitbreaker which merely requires the replacement of the fragile sheet foragain illuminating the lights after the blackout, air raid or dangerperiod has passed or the emergency without the use of any tools.

For further comprehension of this invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to-the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Inthe accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure?Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating the .application of an airraid blackout box constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevationalview-of the box, per se. a

Fig. 3 is a verticalsectional line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

view taken on the Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the container holdingthe spare fragile sheets.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view'of the catching the broken pieces of glass.

Fig. 7 is a. fragmentary enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 2showing particularly the lower left hand corner of the window opening.

Fig. 8 is a schematic wiring diagramofthe device.

box used for Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view similar to Fig. 4 butillustrating a modified construction.

The air raid blackoutbox for stores, oflices and other places, accordingto this invention, includes a box I0 whichis adapted to be mountedon theoutside wall of a business establishment in a manner to be readilyaccessible to air raid wardens, policemen "and others patrolling a givenarea. The box In comprises a body portion H securely mounted uponthe'said outside wall and having a front opening closed y means of acover [2. The cover 12 is p-ivota ly supported upon hinges I3 and isprovided with a substantially centrally located window opening I4. Thecover l2'is further provided with an inside snap-catch [5 engageablewith a complementary keeper I 6 mounted upon an adjacent portion of thebody II for locking and maintaining the cover'in a closed position. Agrooved or groove-like strip I! having 2. laterally offset bottomportion is securely welded or attached to theinside face of the cover [2immediately adjacent the top edge of the window opening l4.

A movably mounted lever I9 is located within the interior of the boxIll. The lever I9 is constructed of suitable material, such as a pieceof sheet metal, and has at its rear edge laterally directed tongues 20which freely engage into eye members 2| mounted on the rear of the boxl0. TIheinter-engagement of the tongues 20 and eye members .21 act topivotally support the lever 19, permitting its front edge to move freelyupwards and downwards. i

The free front edge of the lever l9 is normally disposed at a side ofthe window opening l4 particularly. that side which is opposed tothe-side and which a certain pivoted position of the p out.

which holds the lever [9 down is broken. This lever- 19 fallsimmediately below the groove-like space of said strip 11.

A switch member 2 wall of the box l0.

automatically opens when the plunger 25 is free" to move upwards. p I l.I A fragile stiff sheet 21 such as ,a pane ofglass is extended acrossthe windowopening l4 and has its top edge engaging the groove-like spaceof strip [1 and its bottom edge engages the groove 22 in the lever ISThe fragile sheet 21normally acts to hold the lever IS in a position inwhich the plunger 25 willbe depressed to maintain the switch '23 in aclosed. position. However; it is possible to shatterthe fragile, sheet21 with a stone, coin or other article to be. urged upwards by theplunger 25 toopenthe switch 23.

Mounted within the box l and uponone wall thereof immediately totherear' of the window opening Hi there is asignal lamp 28 which remainslit during .theltime; the switch 23 is closed .for'the purpose ofindicating to passing air raid wardens and patrolmen and others that thecircuit' is in operation and all lights controlled there'- by are lit. f

.The switch 23, the signal lamp 28, and thelight or lights 29 oftheestablishment'are connected together inseries man electrical circuit30including a source of power for causing thelight or lights 29of theestablishment and the signal lamp 28 to be lit when the switch23 isclesed. This circuit 30 also'inc'ludes' a two way switch 3 [which ismountedupon an inside-wall of the establishment and which is'adapted tobe controlled by a person working therein This switch 3l'is providedfor'the purpose of opening the circuit ,30 independently of the switch23 during the day and during such other periods when it is desired 7 tohave these lights out. .The switch 3! isso arranged that it is possibleto have the. light or lights 29lit withoutthe signal lamp 28 being lit.The operation of this switch 3| is controlledby a manually rotatableknob 32. This switch 31 also has a position in which all .of the lampsare On the drawings the lamp 29 is provided merely for illustrativepurposes. Other lights, neon free to move upwards so lights, windowlights or any other'similar lights which might benormally leftilluminated during the night may be controlled by this ,box,- by meansof an additional switch or switches installed eongside. of switch23.(notinseries with lamp It is noted that thefront edge of the leverflQis provided'with ardownwardly extended lip 33 which overlaps the bottompart of the window opening l4 allowing for play while installing glassand which prevents the cover 12 from being opened until such time as thefragile sheet 21 acts to prevent unauthorized persons from meddling withthesystem and is so arranged as to free the cover to be opened whenthefragile sheet 21 is removed by authorized persons. Located at aposition. beneathtlie switch 23 and withinthef ing the pane.

box 10, there is provided a container 34 which encases a plurality ofauxiliary fragile sheets 21' which are adapted to be engaged in thewindow opening l4 when the fragile sheets 21 are broken.

The lever It has an upwardly bent portion 19 directly behind the groove22 forming an abutment for the pane 21. This abutment projects above thetop face ofthe lever. It is useful in guiding the pane 21 into thegroove 22. The lower edge of the pane21 need only be pushed rearwards onthe top face of the lever l9 until it reaches the abutment 19 and thenthe lever 19 is that-the groove 22 engages the bottom edge of the pane21.

The bottom corners of the window M are provided with small upwardlydirected lugs M and M adapted to engage the back and front faces of thebottom corners of the pane 21 for support- Along the sides the windowopening [4 is provided with inwardly offset flanges I l against whichthe pane 21 may rest. r "A small auxiliar box '31 with an open top ismounted in the bottom portion of the box l 0 and is adapted to catch theparticles of the pane'21 when the latter is shattered. The lever lghas abox 31; The back wall of the box 31 is formed with a cutout 39 whichacco'mmodates'the bolts 24 which support the switch23. The box In isalso formed with louvres 40 at its sides through which the heatgiven'oif'by thelamp 2% may readily pass. The auxiliary box 31 isformedwith a drain opening'il, and the bottom of the box it is also formedwith one" or more drain openings f42 so'that if any wat er collectsinthe box it may be drawn off.

In Fig. 9 a modified-form of the invention has been disclosed whichdistinguishes from. the prior form in the fact that several additionalswitches.

besides the switch 23 are mounted within the box ID. As shown inFig. 9there are three switches in all. Theadditional switches are indicated byreference numerals 45 and 46. These switche-sare also supported by bolts24 uponthe back wall of the box l0: Each of these additionalswitchesisprovided with depre'sslble plunger 25 which are held in adepressed condition when the lever I9 is in its operative position typein which they are opened when their plungers 25 are depressed. This ismerely a matter of design and depends upon what purpose the emergencydevice is to be used. If the device is used to give an alarm when thepane 21 is broken, one or more of the switches must close one or morecircuits; in the latter instant. V The additional switches may be usedfor various purposeswhi'ch will be readily understood from thisspecification.

The operation of the device is as follows;

With the circuit 30 connected as illustrated in Fig. 8 a person leavingthe premises at night turns the switch 3i to illuminate the lamp 29 andthe signal lamp 28 located within the box ll] mounted upon an outsidewall of the establishment. If during the night'an air raid or blackoutshould take place a passing warden or policeman noting the illuminatedbox It breaks-the fragile sheet 21,-freeing the lever l9.,and permittingthe'plungerv 25 to move upwards to open the switch 23 and break thecircuit 30, extinlamp 28,. It thus becomes apparent that ana'ir raidwarden operating a given territory 'may quickly extinguish all of thelights in his immediate "vic'inity by merely walking the given area andbreaking the fragile sheets '27.

,By means of this device, a, whole block of stores could be put indarkness by merely installing one such box at a centralized spot. Switch'23 controls a series of remote control switches,each of which'wouldcontrol an individual store. The power :for this centralized box wouldbe supplied by the premises'upon which said box is installed and thecost of current is only that of light in said box and loss of flux insaid system. Each store operates on its own current.

Application of an air blackout box, in accordance with this invention,permits the owners of stores to properly illuminate their premises toprotect the same against burglary and provides a means whereby theselights may be quickly extinguished.

This invention also serves another useful purpose in that a policemanpatrolling a given area during times when a blackout is not in progress,and seeing a store not illuminated will immediately become suspiciousand investigate to frustrate attempted burglary.

After the fragile member 21 has been broken the circuit may again becompleted by taking one of the auxiliary fragile members 21' from thecontainer 34 and engaging the same in position between the groove stripI! and the lever l9 in back of the window opening I 4 for which no toolsare necessary. It will be noted that the fragile sheets 21 are of a sizeslightly smaller than the height of the window opening I 4 permittingthem to be easily engaged into position through the window opening whilethe cover [2 is in a closed position, and the lever is in a horizontalposition, and slightly larger in width than the recessed opening l4 sothat the sides will rest against the lips of the opening M.

It is to be understood that one of the most important features of thisinvention is the unique lever 19 arrangement which keeps the switch 23in a normally closed position when the'circuit is in operation and theglass sheet 21 is in position. Should the glass 2'! be shattered thelever l9 will automatically open the circuit which is controlled by theswitch 23.

This box, by eliminating the light socket 28 and installed with aswitch, the opposite type of switch 23, namely a switch normaly open,would thereby become ideally suited for use as a fire alarm, emergencybreak switch and all other emergency break glass type device forbuildings, ships, trains, trolleys, buses, etc.

While I have illustrated and described the prefegred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Any device of the type described, a box having a window opening, agrooved strip mounted along one side of said'window opening, a pivotallymounted lever within said box and extended to the other side of saidwindow opening and having a groove opposed to said groove, a

=3 switeh'for controlling an-electric'circuit'and having a plungerresiliently urged outwards and engaging and urging said 'lever towardssaid grooved strip, said switch being normally closedwheh said plungeris depressed and open when "said' plunger is extended, "and a fragilestiff sheet extended across said window and engaging in said grooves forholding said lever and said plunger depressed.

2. Any device of the type described, a "box having a window opening,a'grooved-strip mounted along one side of said window opening, apivotally mounted lever within said box and -extended to the other sideof said window openingand having a groove opposed to said groove, aswitch for controlling an electric circuit and having'a plungerresiliently urged outwards and engaging and urging said levertoWa-rdssaid grooved strip, said switch being normally closed when saidplunger is depressed and open whensaid plunger is extended, and afragile stiff sheet extended across said window and engaging in saidgrooves for holding said lever and said plunger depressed, said boxhaving an open front side closed by means of a pivotally mounted cover,and said window opening'being formed in said cover.

3. Any device of the type described, a box having a window opening, agrooved strip mounted along one side of said window opening, a pivotallymounted lever within said box and extended to the other side of saidwindow opening and having a groove opposed to said groove, a switch forcontrolling an electric circuit and having a plunger resiliently urgedoutwards and engaging and urging said lever towards said grooved strip,said switch being normally closed when said plunger is depressed andopen when said plunger is extended, and a fragile stiff sheet extendedacross said window and engaging in said grooves for holding said leverand said plunger depressed, said box having an open front side closed bymeans of a pivotally mounted cover, and said window opening being formedin said cover, said-lever being provided upon its free outer edge with adownwardly extending leaf engaging the front face of said cover andmaintaining said cover in a closed position until such time as saidfragile sheet is broken.

4. Any device of the type described, a box having a window opening, agrooved strip mounted along one side of said window opening, a pivotallymounted lever within saidbox and extended to the other side of saidwindow opening and having a groove opposed to said groove, a switch forcontrolling an electric circuit and having a plunger resiliently urgedoutwards and engaging and urging said lever towards said grooved strip,said switch being normally closed when said plunger is depressed andopen when said plunger is extended, and a fragile stiff sheet extendedacross the window and engaging in said grooves for holding said leverand said plunger depressed, said switch being mounted upon and withinsaid box, said plunger being extended upwards through an opening formedin said wall.

5. Any device of the type described, a box having a window opening, agrooved strip mounted along one side of said window opening, a pivotallymounted lever within said box and extended to the other side of saidwindow opening and having a groove opposed to said groove, a switch forcontrolling an electric circuit and having a plunger resiliently urgedoutwards and engag ing and urging said lever towards said grooved strip,said switch being normally closed when said plunger is depressed andopen when said plunger is extended, and a fragile stiff sheet extendedacross the window and engaging in said grooves for, holding saidlever-and said plunger depressed, said fragilestiff sheet comprising apane of relatively thin glass. 1

6. Any device of the type described, a box having a window opening, agrooved strip mounted along one side of said window opening, a pivotallymounted lever within said .box and extended to the other side of saidwindow opening and having a groove opposed for controlling an electriccircuit and having a plunger resiliently urged outwards and engaging andurging said lever towards said grooved strip, said switch being normallyclosed when said plunger is depressed and open when said plunger isextended, and a fragile stiff sheet extended across said 'window andengaging in said grooves for holding said lever and said plungerdepressed,

to said groove, a switch 7. Any device of said box being formed withlouvres for the escape of heated air.

the type described, a box having a window opening, a grooved'stripmounted along one side of said window opening, a pivotally mounted leverwithin said box and extended to the other side of said window openingand having a, groove opposed to said groove, a switch for controlling anelectric circuit and having a plunger resiliently urged outwards andengaging and urging said lever towards said grooved strip,

said switch being normally closed when said plunger is depressed andopen when said plunger is extended, and a fragile stiff sheet extendedacross said window and engaging in said grooves for holding said leverand said plunger depressed, said window opening being for supportingsaid fragile stiffsheet.

I EUGENE VAN DAMME.

provided with flanges

